


Through Keneth's Eyes

by Team_Two_Cats



Series: Without a Voice, Viewed Through the Eyes of Stars [1]
Category: Suikoden, Suikoden IV
Genre: Angst, Duty, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:40:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25793008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Team_Two_Cats/pseuds/Team_Two_Cats
Summary: As Snowe negotiates for the Knights of Razril to join forces with Kulook, Keneth and Tal watch on, and have a tense confrontation with Katarina about their role as knights.
Relationships: Keneth/Tal
Series: Without a Voice, Viewed Through the Eyes of Stars [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1871125





	Through Keneth's Eyes

The storm rages against the docks of Razril. Keneth hopes it breaks the hulls of the ships in port. Drowns the Kulook soldiers come to occupy them. Drowns Snowe Vingerhut and his dawn frilly clothes, in particular.

Tal nudges him, and Keneth straightens as Katarina approaches.

“Ma’am,” Keneth says, saluting. Tal, next to him, mirrors the motion, the two of them in perfect sync. Keneth’s mouth twitches in the ghost of a smile that fails to fully form. At least with everyone else gone, their barracks are a lot more private. No more sneaking into the pantry or to one of the alleyways in town.

“Horrible night for it,” she says, peering out at the docks. From under the stone of the upper battlements, they’re mostly dry, but they’re also stranded until the storm dies back or until they decide to brave the rain to return to the Hall of Knights.

“I’m not sure any night would be good for _this_ ,” Kenneth says. Tal nudges him again.

But Katarina doesn’t admonish him, for all that she’s been adamant about Lazlo’s guilt, for all that a different kind of storm cloud comes over her face if anyone mentions Paula or Jewel.

“I wish I disagreed with you,” she says. “But this is a mistake. We’re supposed to protect the people from the likes of Kulook, not hand them over on a platter.”

“Then why did you allow them to appoint Snowe as Commander?” Kenneth asks, and Tal grabs his shoulder this time, as if physically restraining him will stop him from speaking. Not that it’s ever worked before, and luckily for Keneth Tal’s unlikely to gag him in front of the Vice Commander. “That should have been your position.”

Katarina doesn’t even look back at him. A week ago she would have chewed him up and spit him over the side of the battlements. She’s been so angry recently. Ever since the death…ever since they lost Glen. But now she just seems…broken.

“I couldn’t,” she says. “He was my…”

She doesn’t finish, just keeps looking out into the storm. Eventually Keneth can’t hold himself back any more.

“It’s not too late,” he says. “If you give the words now, the knights will follow your lead. No one would side with Snowe. Even his father has left the island. If we act now, using the storm as cover, we can drive the Kulook—”

“Ken,” Tal says, squeezing his shoulder. Together, at night, Keneth feels like the broad expanse of Tal’s chest like a safe harbor, like it can protect him from anything, but Keneth is done playing it safe. They let Paula and Jewel go off with Lazlo because they thought they could do something for him here. Could clear his name. But no one’s been interested, least of all Katarina and Snowe, the only people who might do something about it. So might as well help another way.

Katarina turns away from the storm, but she still carries it in her eyes.

“I will not make criminals of the Knights of Razril,” she says. “Com—” She chokes back a sob, the rain welling in the corners of her eyes. “Glen would want us to honor the wishes of the council.”

“Not if he thought they were betraying those they are supposed to serve,” Keneth says.

Katarina’s face hardens and Keneth feels Tal’s hand tighten on his shoulder again. But Keneth doesn’t back away at the thunder and lightning of the Vice Commander’s expression. He meets it, feels the static power of his rune in the suddenly tense air.

Then the storm breaks, and it’s just rain, water falling from Katarina’s eyes. Keneth flinches, leans back, and Tal is already stepping around him, wrapping his arms around Katarina’s heaving frame, supporting her. Damn compassionate sexy bastard.

“It’s too late,” she says. “I sh-should have stood up to this when there was a chance, but the council has already slipped Kulook loyalists into key positions. The armory, the docked ships… There’s nothing we can do.”

Tal shushes her, making comforting noises that mean nothing…and everything.

Keneth sighs and looks back out at the storm. So there it is. Power flares around his rune, unremarkable next to the storm but he can’t help it. He clenches his fits, and a flash of lightning splits the sky, speeds through the rain-wracked air and scorches the stone. The thunder is immediate and loud enough it even makes him jump.

He turns to Tal, still holding Katarina.

 _Sorry, Lazlo_ , he thinks. _We’ll find a way to help. But clearing your name looks about as likely as Snowe not being a conceited ass._

He steps forward, and wraps his arms around them both, and as the storm rages around them, at least they are an island in the middle of it, trying to weather what they can.

**Author's Note:**

> I actually haven't seen much of Keneth. The first time I played through I used Tal and Paula as my two main knights, then the second time I opted for Jewel and Paula. Keneth and Tal are cute together, though, with Keneth the more aggressive to me, Tal the more cinnamon roll. Anyway, part 1/107 done. Woo.


End file.
